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Vertigo
Vertigo gets better in most cases without treatment. See a GP if it keeps coming back or is affecting your daily life.
Check if it's vertigo
Vertigo feels like you or everything around you is spinning – enough to affect your balance. It's more than just feeling dizzy.
A vertigo attack can last from a few seconds to hours. If you have severe vertigo, it can last for many days or months.
Help with vertigo
There are things you can do to ease vertigo symptoms when they're happening, and to reduce the number of episodes you have.
Do
lie still in a quiet, dark room to reduce the spinning feeling
move your head carefully and slowly during daily activities
sit down straight away when you feel dizzy
turn on the lights if you get up at night
use a walking stick if you're at risk of falling
sleep with your head slightly raised on 2 or more pillows
get out of bed slowly and sit on the edge of the bed for a while before standing up
try to relax – anxiety can make vertigo worse
Don’t
do not bend over to pick things up – squat to lower yourself instead
do not stretch your neck – for example, while reaching up to a high shelf
Non-urgent advice:
See a GP if you:
have vertigo that will not go away or keeps coming back
Information:
Coronavirus (COVID-19) update: how to contact a GP
It's still important to get help from a GP if you need it. To contact your GP surgery:
visit their website
use the NHS App
call them
Find out about using the NHS during COVID-19
What happens at your appointment
The GP will ask about your symptoms to try to find out what type of vertigo you have.
A simple test that involves you moving quickly from a sitting to a lying position might be done to check your balance. This could bring on symptoms.
You might also be referred to a specialist for further tests.
Urgent advice:
Get advice from 111 now if you have vertigo and:
have a severe headache
are being sick or feel very sick
have a very high temperature or feel hot and shivery
111 will tell you what to do. They can arrange a phone call from a nurse or doctor if you need one.
Go to 111.nhs.uk or call 111.
Other ways to get help
Immediate action required:
Go to A&E if you have vertigo and:
double vision or loss of vision
hearing loss
trouble speaking
leg or arm weakness, numbness or tingling
Always take someone who cannot be woken up to A&E or call 999.
Treatment for vertigo
Most cases of vertigo get better without treatment.
Treatment will depend on the cause. The GP might prescribe antibiotics if it's caused by an infection.
You could also be given special exercises to do to try to correct your balance.
Antihistamines can sometimes help with vertigo symptoms.
Important
If you drive, you must tell the DVLA about your vertigo.
Visit the GOV.UK website for more information on driving with vertigo.
What causes vertigo
Inner ear problems, which affect balance, are the most common causes:
benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) – where specific head movements cause vertigo
labyrinthitis – an inner ear infection caused by a cold or flu virus
vestibular neuronitis – inflammation of the vestibular nerve
Ménière's disease – a rare inner ear condition, which sometimes involves ringing in the ear (tinnitus) or loss of hearing
Read more about BPPV on the Ménière’s Society website.
Other things that can cause vertigo:
migraine
some types of medicine – check the leaflet to see if it's listed as a side effect
Sometimes the cause is unknown.
Page last reviewed: 02 June 2020
Next review due: 02 June 2023
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